News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-04-07

.: w. Reynolds had the misfortune
! to lose three-years-old colt recently
from dIstemper.
Services were held in the Congrega-
tlonal church last Sunday. The belfry
has been diSmantled.
Rev. g. L. Story. of St. Adams Bay,
who has been at S. w. Royce's two or
three days. left for home March 30th.
We torbore to mention in last weeks
items the condition of Miss Lucy Royce,
owing to the extreme uncertainty of her
case.
K. q. Gilbert has been unable to at
tend to his office work much during the
past week, on account of sickness, but is
feeling better now.
Miss Ella NJ. Waite has been spending
a portion of her vacation with her sister.
Mrs. ID. X. Stevens, of winchester, Mas
sachusetts, returning home last Saturday
by way of Montpelier.
The late Jacob SAKE, who transacted
business here during war time, was, we
understand, a cousin of Vermont's hu-
morous poet. the late John Godfrey
SAKE, who has been styled the Thomas
Hood, of America. The SAKE family
were of German descent and early set
tiers i'll the town of Highgate.
Intelligence of the death of DR.. Albert
Parson has been received here. He died
very suddenly from the effects of shock
of paralysis at Black River, N. Y, which
has been lis home since his removal from
here about ten years ago. Mrs. Parsons
survives her husband. False reports
have from time to time been circulated in
regard to the disease of both the DR.. and
| Mrs. Parsons.
The church bell weighs 745 pounds
and was cast at West Troy, n. Y. by
Andrew McNally & Co. 1t is two feet
and ten inches i'll diameter. 1t was sent
to Burlington in care of Toilet & Brad
| ley and then to the late Martin Wires, of
this place. 1t is on the key of B and
was hung in 1874. The first bell, which
WIS about 200 pounds smaller than this
| one, was badly cracked in January. 1884.
THE OLD MEETING HOUSE.
One of the old landmarks of the town.
and | may say county. is soon to be
moved and used for other purposes, to
wit: the Congregational meeting house.
| a farewell meeting was held in it on the
evening of March 81. which proved to be
very interesting. The music w; Old time
pieces, sung by afew old time singers.
assisted by younger ones. One of the
| pieces sung was "SparrOw's Man." Il
piece that Uncle Solomon Montague sung
on the top of the tower when the churcn
was raised. in 1905. Interesting remarks
were made by Mr. E. Bently. S. F. Hop
kins. (who led the singing in that church
for more than 80 years. and Rev. E
Wheelock. The church was organized
Feb. is, 1892, under the ministry of Rev.
lthamar Hubbard. The records of the
church up to 1884 are lost. so that but
little of the early history of the church
could be given. Mrs. Madison Stafford.
the oldest member of the church save one.
read a paper which we give below.
Friends, as we are about to say good
bye to this venerable old church. where
for so many years we as an organized
church and society have met each other
and our tOwnspeOple professedly for re-
ligious worship. ana as this worship is
now to cease, the house to be removed
and used f+.N -fis-
ting that we make the present the occa-
sion of some retrospection. As am one
of the oldest, if not the oldest. save one,
who from an infant have always to the
present time trod its courts [ have been
asked to write something for our last
gathering in this. to many OF us, sacred
place-sOmething as mementO of the
past and farewell for this evening. Dear
friends. this is hard to do. there are so
cations clustering within these walls;
memories which will not cease when this
house shall cease to be a house of wOr-
ship, some of us will say with the poet:
Memories, fold them up.
Lay them sacred by;
The future for you and l."
Ere we take final leave let US take a look
| backward and if we could only call back to life
some of those men and women those true, noble
large hearted ones, who had chosen this town.
| then almost a wilderness, for their home; who
| felt that they must have sanctuary where they
and their children and grandchildren could Wor-
| ship God. We must know it was no small I'M
dertakng for those early settlers to construct this
| building, for they must have been few in number
| but host in themselves, weak in money power
| but strong in purpose. Do we properly appreci-
ate our ancestors? Do We honor and reverence
| them as we ought? Let US try to be as far-Seeng
unSelfsh diSintereSted as they, live for the best
| nerchance they NAV rise mn and cali ms blessed
| This house has its history; but the historic
| chain is broKen-many missing INKS, which can
not be supplied with any material we have. But
| like picture of the long agO much comes up be-
| fore my mental vision.
| wish the children and young people among US
could see photograph of the inside of this house
as remained for several years afterit was built
1 remember it well. There were no pews, two
| rows of board seats on either side, two shorter
ones in the center for the singers. The pulpit was
| a rough looking carpenters bench, rudely con-
| Structed desk, barely shen, Tor bible ana
| that pulpit often gave no uncertain sound. but
- like hammer to break in pieces the flinty
he art This large room was often well filled, as
| there was no other Westinghouse in the region.
| People came from faraway districts and adjOin-
| ing towns women coming many miles on horse
! back.
We could not have meetings here in the winter,
as there was no means of warming the house.
But the people must have their religious services
somewhere. q have been told that before the
house was built Christians held their meetings in
barns.) Esquire Abner Brush. father of DR..
Solomon Brush. who then kept the hotel III this
place, also the post office, but was always at
meeting on the Sabbath, offered the use of his
hall, which was accepted and meetings were held
there several years in cold weather. After a
time we had large stove well heated, but that
did very little towards heating so large room:
Some of the mothers and grandmOtherS carried
their little foot stoves, and after the grandchild
ren's feet were made comfortable, others would
be served.
Then at noon we all went to the nearest houses,
where we could get well warmed, ready for the
afternoon service. 1t must be remembered we
had no Sunday school in those days, having
never heard of such thing; but two sermons
every Sabbath day -th2~ i44Xarabe practice
everywhere. In process. of time the interior of
our church was finished, pewS put in above and
below, gallery all around except the north end.
We had respectable pulpit though nearly as
nigh as the gallery. The singers seats were or
namented with red curtains, but were not used
long. Many years elapsed, when all was remod-
elled, just as it is nowI but everything that man
builds is destined to decay, so we are warned to
seek safer house. 1t is now to be taken
from its foundation, removed to another place.
where we hope it may yet serve reputable ana
But ere we leave this dear place, we must in
dulge in one lingering look over the fond remem-
berance of Joyous seasons which were not few;
when the voice of many young convert was
heard in speaking and singing the praises OF the
Saviour, telling of their love to God, their purpose
to serve and obey Him. Penitent tears, gOdlY
sorrow for sin, humble confession to God and
man have been witnessed here.
We must allude to our loved and lost; some OF
them went from us very many years ago, some OF
them very recently. They loved this house, they
loved its worship, we miss them every Sabbath
day. Yes, every day, but they are not lost TO us
they live in hearts. as well as in the bright
ness and glOries of heaven, saints Ia the para
disc of God.
And now, with feeling akin to sadness: we
must say to this old oft frequented house. fare
well; go in peace, and may no harm come to any
one in the removal, and may its successor not be
tardy i'll coming to us with heavens benediGtion.
And may rich choice blessings rest on those who |
build our second temple May all young and Old |
show loving willingness to help in this arduOus
enterprise, one so much needed. If we women, |
and children too would do with our might what |
little selfdenial. little sacrifice, would enable
us to do the burden on the fathers, brothers, and
sons !; would be greatly Eghtened. VIII we not
The Labor Committee of the Leg
islatUre of Massachusetts has reported
a bill to make the first Monday in